BOU AVENUEMount Sarbach
On 13 August 2005, I scrambled up Mount Sarbach near Saskatchewan
Crossing in Banff National Park. Starting from the Mistaya Canyon
trail head at 7:30 AM, I easily hiked up to the old fire lookout site
situated just below tree line at the end of Mount Sarbach's north ridge.
At the back of the lookout site, I followed a faint trail which
quickly peters out near a small cairn. From there, I simply headed
uphill and soon was grinding up a typical Canadian Rockies rubble slope.
I bypassed the first "insignificant" notch as described by Alan Kane
before scrambling up to the crest of the ridge. I had no problems
down-climbing the 10-metre chimney in the second notch, but some of the
rocks here are disturbingly loose. After some more easy scrambling,
I crossed the "football field-sized plateau" and continued to the base of
the steep ridge leading up to the false summit. Following Kane's
advice, I stuck to the ridge crest and thoroughly enjoyed scrambling up
this section. There were some lingering ice patches near the top,
but I managed to avoid all of them and eventually reached the false
summit. Much of the rock on the summit ridge is rotten and loose;
thus, I took my time (another 30 minutes) as I cautiously made my way up
to the true summit about half a kilometre further to the south.

Because
of some haze in the air, the views of Mount Forbes and Freshfield
Icefield from Mount Sarbach's summit were somewhat disappointing, but the
weather was so nice that I stayed there for well over an hour (or more
likely it took me that long to think of a limerick for the summit
register) before reluctantly beginning my long descent. After
bypassing the false summit, I essentially retraced my steps back down the
north ridge. Descending below the first notch, I thought I was
pretty much home free, but as if the scrambling deities weren't going to
let me bag such a big peak without exacting some sort of penance (and as
if 1630 metres of height gain and numerous difficult cruxes weren't
enough), I completely missed the lookout site and somehow ended up in a
bushy avalanche gully further south of the access trail. Feeling a
little annoyed, I headed north and powered my way through the undergrowth
until I finally stumbled upon the trail; now I was home free. Climbing the last 40
metres out of Mistaya Canyon, I passed a group of tired kayakers slowly hauling
their kayaks and gear up to the trail head. I didn't speak to any
of them, but I wondered what adventures they had that day and if
those were as exhilarating as my scramble up Mount Sarbach (12 hours
round-trip).

This is the view of Mount Sarbach from
the trail head. The letter N marks the second (more difficult)
notch.

This is the former fire lookout site.

There is a clearer view of Mount
Wilson higher up the slope behind the lookout site.

Just past the first notch, Sonny
scrambles up to the ridge crest.

Behind Sonny is Mount Sarbach's long
north ridge. This photo illustrates why Kane advises scramblers
not to "be lured into easier looking gullies angling down" from the
ridge on descent.

This is looking across the second
notch.

Sonny descends the difficult chimney.

Sonny reaches the bottom of the
chimney (in shadow).

From the ridge, there is already a
nice view of Glacier Lake and Lyell Icefield.